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 The emotion was there for all to see on the huge television screen
on the scoreboard over center ice.
The 22-year-old was named the game's first star Monday after making
24 saves. Sparks' effort combined with center Leo Komarov's two
goals gave the Maple Leafs a 3-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers.
"My process has always been to take it five minutes at a time, one
period at a time and chip away at a game," said Sparks, whose
parents were in the crowd. "After I came out of the first unscathed,
I wanted to have a good second and I got a couple of lucky posts
there.
"Going into the third period (the shutout) is definitely on your
mind. You just want to be on and make sure that if they're going to
beat you, they have to really beat you.
"The guys in front of me tonight kept everything to the outside and
they kept it manageable. I really have them to thank for it."
The victory behind a goaltender called up from the American Hockey
League Toronto Marlies ended the Maple Leafs' three-game losing
streak. It was Toronto's first shutout of the season.
Center Nazem Kadri added a goal for the Maple Leafs (8-11-5) and
left winger James van Riemsdyk had three assists.
"He was good, very poised and calm," van Riemsdyk said of Sparks.
"Good for the kid," Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. "Life's
about opportunity and how you respond to that opportunity and
obviously he must have some swagger about him, some confidence about
him because he was solid.
"He made some good saves. He was 6-foot-3 on every shot, which is a
good thing for a goalie. He played well. We got a win."
Babcock said, however, that injured James Reimer would start the
next game in Winnipeg on Wednesday if he is fit to play.
The Oilers (8-15-2) hit goal posts twice in the second period and
ended a five-game road trip with a 1-3-1 record.
Oilers goaltender Anders Nilsson made 23 stops.
"When I look at the trip as a whole, we had a lot of key players
underperform," Oilers coach Todd McLellan said. "The young fella
(Sparks) had a great game tonight. They were better than us in
different areas and when that happens we lose again. ... Nothing
offensively, nothing sustained, nothing hard at all.
The Maple Leafs took the lead early with a power-play goal by
Komarov at 6:45 of the first period. He chipped in a pass into the
slot from van Riemsdyk for his career-best ninth goal of the season
with Oilers center Leon Draisaitl serving a hooking penalty.
The Maple Leafs were playing a tight defensive game but Oilers
defenseman Justin Schultz snuck up to find an opening only to ring a
shot off the post with 13 minutes to play in the second period.
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The Oilers hit the post again with six minutes left in the second on
a shot by center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
The Maple Leafs were outshot 8-3 in the first period but by the end
of the second each team had 16 shots on goal.
The Oilers started the third period on a power play after defenseman
Matt Hunwick took a hooking penalty at 19:02 of the second period.
But the Oilers failed to generate an attack, while giving up a pair
of two-on-one Maple Leafs' breakouts that nearly put them further
behind.
The Maple Leafs scored at 7:33 of the third period when Kadri
deflected a shot from the point by defenseman Jake Gardiner for his
third goal of the season.
The Oilers went on the power play at 15:02 of the third when
Gardiner took a tripping penalty. Sparks was tested immediately by
left winger Taylor Hall and made the save.
Komarov scored his 10th goal of the season into an empty net at
18:59.
"Tonight was a tough game," Hall said. "It's not like we got outshot
by 20. It's not like we got out-chanced a lot. We were right there
but it seems like we've been right there a lot this year."
NOTES: Toronto G Garret Sparks, 22, made his NHL debut Monday,
replacing G Jonathan Bernier, who has struggled. G James Reimer
(leg), the Leafs' best goalie this season, missed his second
straight game. In 11 games with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL,
Sparks has a goals-against average of 1.90 and a save percentage of
.938. ... Toronto RW Joffrey Lupul missed his first game of the
season Monday to rest nagging injuries. Maple Leafs C Daniel Winnik
returned to the lineup after a two-game absence. ... Oilers rookie C
Connor McDavid (fractured left clavicle), who has been
rehabilitating in Toronto, said he is progressing well but no return
date has been set. When he was injured Nov. 3, the prognosis was
eight to 12 weeks. ... The Leafs begin a three-game trip Wednesday
in Winnipeg against the Jets. ... The Oilers open a five-game
homestand Wednesday against the Boston Bruins.
pen a five-game homestand Wednesday against the Boston Bruins.
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